Dreaming in Digital

twitter entries in

One of the best things about the internet is the ability to share stuff with friends and others. It can be stuff you've made, done or written, or it can be stuff you've found. Lots of people like doing this so much that there're sites dedicated to the whole idea, or have that sort of function built in as an attraction to users.

Making it easy makes sense

If you're creating content, encouraging others to share what you've written with their friends normally makes sense. Making it easy for them makes it likely that they'll do it. Well, normally, some churlish types are less likely to share something if the site's trying to make it easy. No pleasing some people...

The first weblogs were, literally, logging the web, they existed to share cool stuff found. Now? Billions of aps out there. Awhileback, Debi polled her readers to find out what they like to use, I'm just going to ask.

coding sharethis buttons

I'm coding a share this set of buttons, initially for my and miss_s_b's layout, but eventually to possibly be submitted as part of the core function of Dreamwidth. I don't want to have too many little buttons, but I think I can make it so users can choose which buttons appear on their layout, and today I finally asked how I could strip the html, a silly little problem that'd be stopping me for weeks. I also want to have it only display on public entries, but that's a lesser issue.

I want it for my reading page, to allow easy sharing of links for me. That it might encourage others to share stuff I've written is an added bonus. If I ever get around to writing again regularly.

So, already coded I have Facebook, Livejournal, Twitter, Dreamwidth, Blogger, StumbleUpon, Bit.ly and LibDig (the last being, obviously, a very niche sharing tool). What major tools have I missed?

Unfortunately, as far as I can see, I can't do one for Wordpress.com, let alone custom installs, as the post page is always within your own subdomain, if someone shows me a hack to get around it or an alternative URL, I'm very much all ears.

I likeTwitter. It's nice, quick and effective, and allows for quick thoughts or short public discussions that can crossover with others. That there are MPs sometimes sat in the House of Commons listening to debates and reading Twitter means I can, if necessary, pass information on nice and easily. Not done it yet, but it might happen.

I also like sharing links and stuff on Twitter, and having my Twitter posts (but not replies) transfer to both my Facebook status and as daily digests. As I'd just stopped doing linkspams and can't be bothered to fix the code, I'm temporarily doing all my links through Twitter as well, it suits me.

I like reading others Twitter digests, ported through LoudTwitter, on my friends listReading Page. I personally dislike it when they're cut, as it stops me doing a quick scan and I'm not likely to open the cut text up as it takes too long. If I don't want to read, I can scroll past.

Given that I like having LoudTwitter posts on my friends page, I've added some code to my journal to make them look a lot better than the default. This is Good.

But I also know that some people, poor misunderstanding types that they are, dislike seeing Twitter posts, completely. Given that some people seem to insist on crossposting all their Tweets, including their halves of ongoing conversations that make little sense, I can understand this, but it's better to just get such people to turn off the option of importing replies, as redattexplains.

But, for those of you that really don't want to read Loudtwitter posts on their friends page, and for those of you that want to enhance the Loudtwitter posts that appear on theirs, I thought I'd share some code.

My enhancement code:

And some removal code if you really want it:

Note, I coded it in twenty seconds, it's a simple CSS trick, it only removes the list of tweets, not the whole post, and it was really easy.

For those of you that have got into the habit of cutting your tweet imports because some friends wanted it? If they don't want to see them, link them here. Because I'd much rather see them, and helping everyone make their tweets look pretty makes sense to me. Anyone that wants the colours changed to suit their background, feel free to comment.

Yesterday, I had two posts I was planning to make at some point. Then my shiny new work laptop arrived, but it wouldn't stay online for more than 5 minutes and fixing it took me ages. But in another attack of shared brain[1], Debi's done very similar to what I meant to do, so go read:

The former is a linkdump of Firefox extensions redone, I need to do one anyway to transfer to my new laptop so that'll happen. The latter is a how-to on linkspamming sharing with delicious and crossposting them to your blog (works anywhere but LJ needs some extra tweaks), but also has a how-to on using and/or hidingLoudTwitter posts. I really like the utility of the latter and like reading them, and dislike it when people cut them as I can't just scan past, but I know others dislike them intensely so if you do you might find it useful.

Anyway, the rest can wait, I have some campaigning to go do. Go vote people, especially in London (and remember, the GLA list vote really matters, unfortunately). [1] Debi has a habit of posting stuff as I'm thinking about the same thing, and we share a lot of "oh, cool trick" stuff anyway. Jennie, OTOH, has scary freaky same-as-me opinions on a lot of stuff, and we sometimes make the same comment at the same time in various places. So if you're missing my longer informed posts, I hope I'll get over the block that seems to mean I lack inspiration or inclination, but in the meantime reading innerbrat, Jennie's theyorkshergob or my old housemate and third "shared brain" unfortunate paulatpingu wouldn't do you any harm.

Weird, I haven't posted for the best part of a week, and even then it's been link/discuss. Um, yeah, alive. Can't claim busy (although I can proclaim exhaustion I think).

Have loads of stuff I kinda-sorta want to post about, including a few damn fine books I've read or am reading (Vallance's The Glorious Revolution being top of the list, a book about events in 1688 still has many many modern echoes that nearly inspired a post or three). But, well, actual inclination to do so lacking. A bit of a meh mood really—when I'm in Yorkshire, I'm either working or wanting to spend time with SB, when I'm down here I'm recovering.

OTOH, very busy week this week—just got back in from the London leadership hustings for the Lib Dems, and, um, yeah—two damn fine candidates that I'd be happy to see as leaders, both very very good. Consensus in the pub from those who've been members longer than me is that both were better than any of the three from last year. Given that one of them was a candidate last year, well, competition + experience = bonus in this case.

Tomorrow I go, hopefully, to see/hear Iain M. Banks get interviewed at Imperial, although timing on that one is difficult, it starts at 6pm and I technically finish work at 6p. Ah well, finish early I guess.

Then Thursday I have tickets for the now_show. Friday, probably, going out somewhere, then Saturday back oop north. Memo to self: book tickets for journey. Am reading entries, just not commenting much, spending a lot of time haging out on various Lib Dem places trying to see if anyone can persuade me &c. Also, my attept to port my twitterings to Facebook has worked fine, but they're not showing up here, which is annoying.

British Liberal, house husband, school play leader and stepdad. Campaigner, atheistic feminist, amateur baker. Male.

Known to post items of interest on occasions. More likely to link to interesting stuff. Sometimes talks about stuff he's done. Occasionally posts recipes for good food. Planning to get married, at some point. Enjoying life in Yorkshire.

Likes comments. Especially likes links. Loves to know where people came from and what they were looking for. Mostly posts everything publicly. Sometimes doesn't. Hi.

Blogs & stuff I read

Stuff and nonsense

I'm the Chair of the Brighouse branch of the Liberal Democrats & the membership secretary for Calderdale Lib Dems and run the web campaign for the local candidates. I have a job, a stepdaughter and a life. Here's the legal text:Printed by Dreamwidth LLC, Maryland, USA. Published and promoted by Mat Bowles (Liberal Democrat) of Brighouse, West Yorkshire.